


Two of a Kind

by The_Plaid_Slytherin



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: Gen, Remix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-04
Updated: 2014-05-04
Packaged: 2018-01-21 21:48:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1565228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Plaid_Slytherin/pseuds/The_Plaid_Slytherin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Saul knows he shouldn't let her get to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two of a Kind

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sabaceanbabe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sabaceanbabe/gifts).



> Remix of [this ficlet](http://sabaceanbabe.livejournal.com/239879.html) by sabaceanbabe.

Today was going to be crap. Saul knew that before he even opened his eyes. Finally, he dragged them open, staring at the ceiling above his rack for the last time.

This was it. It was over.

Saul pushed himself up on his elbows and levered himself out of bed. "Frak," he said, feeling satisfied with the way the sharp edges of the word echoed in his empty quarters. This was the last time he'd ever wake up in this rack, on this lumpy mattress. The last time he'd drag himself out of bed, glancing for the bottle on his desk.

Ordinarily, he'd have tried to make it through without the stuff. But today…. Today was worse than any anniversary, any bad performance review. Because today was the end. The end of Galactica , the end of him.

Saul rubbed his face and reached for the bottle.

_"I could stop doing this, you know." Bill slapped the adhesive bandage on the cut over Saul's eye. "Then you'd be up a creek."_

_Saul smirked winningly. "But you won't."_

_"Yeah. You're right." Bill eased himself down next to Saul. They'd retreated down to the bowels of the ship, and Saul could hear the rumble of engine at his back. "But you could stop getting into fights. Y'know, if you egg guys on, they're gonna jump you. And if they're bigger than you, you're gonna get beat up. Why do you do it?"_

_Saul drew his knees up to his chest and draped his arms over them. "Don't know, Bill. Maybe I just don't care."_

_Bill gave him a rough pat on the shoulder. "We'll get back in the Fleet."_

_Saul grunted._

_"I mean it. And you'll have to shape up. Show those kids who can fly circles around their asses."_

_Saul laughed. "Don't know how much gas is left in the tank there."_

_"There's plenty," Bill said confidently. Saul never knew how he could be so clear-eyed about something that Saul was groping murkily at._

_"Sure." Saul forked a hand through his hair. "If you say so."_

He stalked out of his quarters, taking in that scene for the last time. He should listen to Bill. Bill had plans for retirement, and he'd made plans for Saul, too.

He'd deliberately avoided mentioning Ellen. Bill was like that, always anticipating problems fifty clicks away. The only thing he hadn't seen coming was Zak, and he didn't talk about that.

"Getting an early start, Colonel?"

Saul looked up. Starbuck was jogging in place, looking pleased with herself. For what? Jogging in the morning? Saul had done that at her age, had done two lengths of the ship without breaking a sweat. And he knew for a fact she didn't do it when she was hung over, same as him.

"That's what we officers do, Lieutenant."

"Sure." He couldn't stand that look of hers, like everything was some private joke.

"Guess today's the last day of all this," he said. Maybe he ought to clear the air, be the bigger person. It would earn him some points with Bill, at least.

"Yeah." She smiled. "Enjoy your retirement, sir." Then, she jogged off.

Somehow, even the way she said that, what should have been a perfectly innocuous statement made his blood boil.

_"Better be glad the Cylons are gone with that aim."_

_Saul didn't lower his gun. "Like to see you do better."_

_"No problem." The stranger--new pilot, he assumed--swaggered over to suit up. Saul proceeded to blow two through the center of the target (well, near the center of the target) while he was waiting._

_"Slow," he said._

_She snorted. "Not as slow as you, old man." She got into her stance and began shooting. Saul didn't want to admit it, but she was good._

_"Hotshot," he observed. "Now you're just showing off."_

_"You can show off, too."_

_Saul scowled. He was still a good shot. His best shot was better than hers, but her accuracy was higher. Damned shaky hands. He couldn't pop a bunch off in quick succession anymore; he needed more time to recover from the recoil._

_"You know I was killing toasters since before you were born," he said. "Maybe before your parents were born."_

_"No," she said, voice sharp. "My mother saw action."_

_"Oh? What ship?"_

_"Marine. Medra."_

_"Oh, I've been stationed on Medra. After the war, though. But you're a pilot?"_

_"Yup."_

_"What was your last assignment?"_

_"The Academy."_

_"Fresh out?"_

_"No." She made her first miss, going wide by at least three inches. "Instructor."_

_Then it hit home for Saul. This wasn't just any new pilot. This was Bill's new favorite. "You're Starbuck, aren't you?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Listen." He stopped, lowered his weapon. "I'm sorry about Zak."_

_She stopped, too. "How do you know about Zak?" She sounded raw. He felt sorry for her. No wonder she was pushing it with him. He'd seen that before._

_"How do I know about Zak? He was my godsson. The Old Man told me about you two. He was great kid. Didn't deserve to go in an accident like that."_

_Thrace slammed her weapon down and took off her protection._

_"Hey, hey, hey." Saul didn't mean to jump on her, but it was instinct. "You don't do that in the range, especially not in space. You want to blow your leg off?"_

_"Maybe I just don't care." She slammed her glasses down on the sill and stormed out._

_Saul had thought about writing her up then, going to Bill, but he hadn't._

_He'd regretted it every day of their interaction since._

**

There wasn't any particular reason his legs carried him to the rec room. Maybe he just needed to feel young again.

If this was anything but the last day, Bill would probably have something to say, but there was nothing he could do now. It didn't matter anymore. Saul dropped into the empty chair.

"Mind if I play?" He knew they weren't in a position to say no, but he didn't really care.

"Go ahead," Starbuck said. "If you can keep up."

Saul noticed Helo shift uncomfortably. He felt a little bad; he liked the kid, not that he understood why he'd attached himself to someone like Starbuck.

"Oh, I can keep up. Question is can you?"

Starbuck opened her mouth to say something, but Helo gave her a sharp look. "Hey. Not now. Let's just play."

Saul allowed himself a satisfied smirk, pleased he'd gotten the last word in.

He could already feel the booze working on him, and there was a part of his mind that knew he should stop rising to her bait. This was the kind of crap he should be able to stop on his own, but Bill wasn't here to mutter in his ear to calm down like Helo was no doubt saying to Starbuck. Saul had a lot going through his mind today, and he didn't need Starbuck gloating at him on top of that.

Maybe he had to get it out of his system one last time.

**

"I guess I should have known you two wouldn't cut each other any slack even on the last day." Bill stepped aside to let Saul in.

"She's a problem, Bill. Dangerous."

"I'll be sure to tell Admiral Cain that when she reports to her next assignment."

"I'm serious. She's reckless, insubordinate, foul-mouthed…"

"And how many times did I fix you up after you'd pulled some of that same stuff?"

Saul rubbed the back of his neck. "That's different."

Bill laughed in his face, the bastard. Saul was glad he wouldn't be seeing Kara Thrace after today.


End file.
